It is well known in the aeronautical sciences that an aircraft capable of hover and/or of slow flight is typically not well-suited to long-distance efficient cruising flight. This is the case because hover/slow flight and long-distance efficient cruising flight require very different components for the generation of aerodynamic lift.
One drawback of aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight is that such aircraft typically require long runways to be utilized for take-off and landing. This becomes problematic when there is not sufficient space for the requisite runway, meaning that such aircraft may not be used.
Thus, there is a need for new manners by which aircraft that otherwise require a long runway may be launched and retrieved from small spaces.